Frozen River

Unsentimental and honest independent film set in a shabby trailer park on the U.S.-Quebec border, following the desperate attempts of two single mothers to break free of their economic struggles. Ray Eddy (Leo), mother of two and part-time employee at the local dollar store, is left scrambling to pay the bills after her husband disappears on a gambling spree. Lila Littlejohn (Upham), now living alone after her mother-in-law snatched up her one-year-old, discovers the keys to Ray's husband's abandoned car and drives off. Ray follows Lila and soon the two women hatch a scheme to smuggle illegal aliens across the border. First-time director Courtney Hunt never drags the material into cheap thriller mode, instead trusting Leo and Upham to carry the story through their incredible chemistry. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2008.